Disteiot of



W. C. & P. T. DODGE.

Breeoh Loading Pire Arm.

No. 112,694.- Patented March 14, 1871.l

fyi* l HDGRAPMR. WASHINGTON D C 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

NW..0. & P. T. DODGE. BREEGH LOADING FIDE ADM.

No. 112,694. Patented Mar. 14, 1871.

. the parts in position as it is when red.

TNTTEE STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM C. DODGE AND PHILIP T. DODGE, OF VASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA; SAID PHILIP T. DODGE ASSIGNS HIS RIGHT TO SAID WIL- LIAM C. DODGE.

IMPROVEMENT IN BREECH-LOADING- FIRE-ARMS.

Specijcatiou forming part of Letters Patent No. 112,691L, dated March 14, 1871.

kis a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawing.

Our invention relates to breech-lcadin g guns; and the invention consists in a novel method of constructing and .arranging the breech mechanism, and the frame in which it operates, whereby the gun is rendered extremely simple,

strong, and safe, all as hereinafter more fully described.

Figure l-is a longitudinal section of thebreech or rear portion of the gun, with the breech open. Fig. 2 is a similar view,with the breech closed. Fig 3 is a top plan view, with all Fig. 4 is a similar view, showing` a safety-guard attached to the hammer. Figs. 5,6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 are portions shown more in detail.

In constructing our improved gun we rst provide a frame, G, of the form represented in the drawing, into the front end of which the barrel A is screwed in the usual manner.

On the inner walls or sides of this frame we form a cheek-piece or abutment, I, one on each side, located a short distance in rear of the open end of the barrel, as represented in Figs. 1, 2, and 9.

These cheeks I are formed with their front faces curved, so as to form the arc of a circle, of which the pin a, on which the breech-block swings, is the center, this curved face extending from below upward to near the top, where the face ot' the cheeks is cut away so as to form a recess for the rear portion of the breechblock to rest in, as hereinafter more fully explained, and as shown in Fig. 1, and by dotted lines in Fig. 2, and in Fig. 9.

The frame G being thus constructed, we provide a swinging breechblock, composed of two solid blocks, B and O, the latter being 'hinged or pivoted to the former in such amandrawing, these two parts thus forming a compound breech-block. These two parts should be so hinged to each other as to furnish a bearing upon the solid metal of each, andnot bring the strain, in iiring, upon the pin that unites them, in case a pin is used, which may or may not be used, as preferred. One manner of uniting these yparts is represented in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6. In this case the joint is formed by cutting a mortise in the upper end of the part O and a corresponding tenon 'or tongue on the part B, the upper end of the part U being made on a true circle, and iitted into corresponding sockets or recesses in the back ofB, on each side of the tongue, whereby the solid end of the part O, bears directly n against the solid metal of part B, on the principle or plan of a knuckle or socket joint.

In order to still further strengthen this joint the bottom or rear face of the tongue on B is formed on a curve concentric with the center of the joint, as shown in Fig. 2, and the corresponding portion of the mortise in the part O is hollowed out, so aste t snugly against this curved shoulder of the tongue and thus afford a solid bearing at this point also. ln this way we produce ajoint that affords a solid bearin g entirely across the block, the bearing being divided, part being on the upper end of the part O and the rest on the bottom of the tongue below; or, if preferred, the joint may be made as represented in Fig. S, in which the upper end of part C is simply cut on a circle all the way across, the end being left solid, and then shoved sidewise into a corresponding socket out in the part B. In this case the bearing is all at one point, instead of at two, as in the other case, but it still extends entirely across the block. If this form of joint be used the part O may be held from moving sidewise by simply cutting a small groove at the center of its upper end, iu which the firin pin shall engage when inserted, the part G being irst placed in position and then the firing-pin inserted and secured` It will of course be understood that the object of these methods of constructing the j oint in the breechblock is to secure the utmost strength possible.

The axis of the joint may be located either above or below the firing-pin; and if the form of joint rst described be used, the pina'of the joint may also be made to holdthe firingpin in its seat, as shown in Fig. 2. It' the second form be used, and it is located` above., then it must have an opening in rear of the .tiring-pinv for the` hammer to strike through 'to reach the tiring-pin. Whichever form of joint isf-used, in all cases the part O is constructed with an arm, which extends from the joint upward to a point just above the part BVWhere it terminates ina thumb-piece, E, as represented in the several igures, the object of this thumb-piece being to lock and unlockthe breech-block andto move the sainefas is necessary in manipu-A lating it. This arm we prefer to locate on the'- right-hand side of the part C, where it fits to a suitably-shaped recess eut in the side ot`y the part B, as shown in Fig. 5, though, byl making the block a little wider, the recess may be omitted.. It is, however, obvious that;

the arm maybe located centrally, as repre-1 sented-` inv Figs. 6 and17, in which case a recess; must be cut for it to lie in'in the part B, audits upperend should becurved, so asjto bring the thumb-piece Ei out to the right, as repre-1 sented in Fig. 7. y

The lower end. of this part C` is formedV intoi two steps or shoulders, l and m, as showui clearly in Figs. 1, 2, 5, and 6, each of these shoulders being formed with its outer sur-,

y facesconcentric with the pin-a oraxis of the joint, to permit them to swing in and out ofi` the recesses l and 2in the upper portion off 5 the cheeks I, and. have a rm andy solid bearing therein when the breech is closed, these recesses being in, like manner curved andconcentric with the axis of the joint of theparts B G when the breech-block is inv position as represented in Fig. 2.

1t is obvious that the bearing would be the same if the end ot part G were made With a; single shoulder extending over its entire surface, asin Fig. 8, and the recessin the check-s lmade to correspond.; but there is a speciall object in thus constructing these parts,.whichis to render the arm more secure againstacci-j dental andl premature explosions.

In this class of guns, which use a swingingy breech-block, premature explosions arise from! two causes: Erst, from the concussion of the.v breech-block against the cartridge, when the breech is closed, and more especially so if the block be heavy and a spring be used to throw and hold the block closed; second, theyare` still more apt too'ccur from the firing-pinbecoming jammed. or stuck fast in its seat with its pointprotruding from the face of the breechblock, in which case it will. ofcourse hit the cap or cartridge as the breech is closed, and thus be likelytoignite the charge. In either case the charge is forceedj out at the rear end of the barrel, a-nd` injury ensues.

Now, by this method of constructing the breech-blockv in two parts, and having the rear part C lock into the recess inthe cheeks 4of steps, accidents from the second cause 'are prevented, because, as the breech is closed,

`the shoulder Hirst locks on-the step-1 of the recessso that, it' the pin at thatinstant should hit and ignite the charge, the breech-block will be held securely in pos'itiongandY if, at any time thereafter, the charge should be ignited before the block was entirely closed, -stil-l these parts would prevent it from Open! hgig beyond this point. It is obvious that the same result might be secured by simply sloping the 'face of the recess yfrom its upper to its lower point, and forming'the end or shoulder wot' the part U to correspond; but the locking of the parts in position would be less secure, xthat,however, dependingu-pon the angle at 1. which the part G'shoulidbe arranged to stand. v,lvy'this means-also, the .rear end of thepart G can be swung upv ilush with the upper edge -of the framev G, as represented in Figs.,2 and .3,l and thu-s prevent the formation of any cavity or recess at that point for the reception of gdirt, &cf., which might interfere Vwiththe operation of Athe parts; and, as the rear end of .the part C is thus elevated, it' also` permits `the shoulder 1' on the hammer to come up flush with the top of the frame G, thus filling the cavity or slot in which the hammer swf-ings, and leaving no cavity for the reception ef ob- ;structions. Y

It will be observed that the hammer is located between the cheeks, in line with and directly in rear of the breech-block. `frontface.. is cut away, or so formed that, .when the hammer is'at` full cock,its lower portion will not swing forward inadvanceeot' the cheeks I. This is necessary in order to leave a clear, open space for the breech-block to swing down within the frame, to vpermit theL insertion and removalof the cartridgeshells.

The body ot? thehammer, aboveits journal or ,axis b, is provided with` a projecting shoulder, A1',.w.hich is made concentric with its axes of f ,rotation on its` upper face, so that, as the hammer swings forward to ignite the charge,this shoulderr will pass under the lower end of the'part C, which is out away at its center :for that purpose, as shown in Fig. 2, and thus vlock the part C securely in its recess in the ycheeks I.

It will be observed that thevfront portion of Vthis shoulder is beveled or inclned,as-repre- -sented at o, Figs. `1 and 2, so that it' the part C should happen not to be fully home to its seat in the recess, this'incline o. on the ham- -mer will force' it'home to its seat, andthe .shoulder-r be permitted to` swing under and 'lockit there.

As representedin Figs. Zand-5., a, spring, u,

is inserted between the'lower parts of B and C, which serves tot-hrow the lower end of the latter into the recess: in the cheeks, and to Its lower 'to operate in the same manner.

- has its lower end pressed in against the part B to allow the breech to be opened, the rear face of C will then form a continuation, on a true circle, of the outline of B, the two parts thus constituting a segment of a circle, as

represented in Fig. l. Now, if the hammer be released when the part C is thus pressed against the part B, whether the breech be closed or partially open, no matter to what' extent, then the front of this shoulder or projection r will strike against the rear or segmental surface of the part C and thus prevent the point of the hammer from reaching the ring-pin.

By making the front face of the cheeks I curved, as represented, they serve as a guide for the part U to bear against, when opening and closing the breech; and this is important, because, asin closing` the breech the thumb is applied to the rear face of E, the lower eind of U is thereby pressed backward, and, if the cheeks were not there to prevent, the end of the part C would be swung back, and would lock under the hammer-bolt I) and prevent the breech from being closed. In the same mannei, also, the spring u would throw the part C back and cause it to lock, and interfere with its movement in closing. It is, however, obvious that these cheeks, instead of being formed one on each side, with the hammer bevtween them, as represented, may be made in one single solid abutment, extending entirely across from side to side of the frame, and made In that case the hammer would either have to be located in rear of the abutment or placed on the outsiderof the frame, which would render the mechanism and its arrangement less compact, and therefore not as goo( In Fig. et is shown an additional safetyguard. It consists simply of a projection, e, on the side of the hammer, which extends out `far enough to strike in rear of the arm of part C, the arrangement of the parts being such that, if the lower end of the part C is not forced home in the recess, this projection v will strike against the arm before it reaches the firing-pin. By these means the hammer will force the part C home to its seat before the charge can be ignited; or, failing in this,

the hammer will not hit the firing-pin, and,

consequently, the gun will not be discharged.

It is obvious that this safety arrangement may be applied equally well to the arm located at the center of the block as when located at the side.

The operation of the gun is as follows: The hammer being brought to full cock, the breech is unlocked by pressing back on the thumbpiece E, which pressure rst moves the end of part C out of its recess in the cheeks and presses it against the part B, when, by continuing the movement, the breech-block is swung down into the cavity in front of the cheeks to the position shown in Fig. l. A cartridge is then inserted, and the breech closed and locked by simply pressing upward and forward on the thumb-piece E, when the gun is red in the usual manner. n

It will thus be seen that the arm is exceedingly strong, simple of construction, perfectly safe, and can be manipulated with but few motions, and consequently with great rapidity.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is- 1. A frame for a breech-loading gun, having the cheeks I, with the locking-recess formed therein, substantially as described.

2. The compound breech-block, composed of the parts B and'C, the latter being provided with thumb-piece E, and said parts being united by soeketjoint, substantially as described,

whereby the bearing is thrown upon the solid metal of the parts, substantially as set forth.

3. The hammer D, provided with the shoulder r, arranged to operate in relation to the part C of the compound breech-block, sub-- stantially as described.

4. The combination of the breech block B G with the cheek-pieces I of the frame, constructed with the loekin g recess, substantially as described.

5. The shoulder r, with the incline o at its front, in combination with the lookin g part C for forcing the latter to its seat in the recess, substantially as set forth.

6. The swinging breech block, having its locking face or shoulder constructed substantially as described, whereby the breech is locked before it is entirely closed, and the arm thereby rendered more safe, substantially as herein set forth.

WILLIAM C. DODGE.

PHILIP T. DODGE.

Witnesses z H. B. MUNN,

` HARRY KING. 

